All this month, the Congressional Integrity Project is introducing one of Donald Trump’s staunchest allies – Representative James Comer. Just last month, the American people rejected the extreme MAGA agenda and said they want our leaders to focus on solving the real problems they face. But MAGA Republicans aren’t listening. As soon as they won the House, they immediately turned to the Trump playbook of political attacks, stunts, and partisan warfare. Investigations under the new Republican-led committees will be conducted following the Trump playbook: divisive and politically motivated attacks on President Biden, his family, and his administration at any cost, all to increase Comer’s own power to pursue the radical agenda of his MAGA allies.
Over the past six years, James Comer has proven that his top priority as Chairman of the House Oversight Committee is to do the bidding of Trump and his allies. Comer not only impeded investigations into Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional actions and spread outrageous conspiracy theories about a “deep state” out to get Trump, but he also followed Trump’s playbook on the 2020 election – spreading false claims of voter fraud and defending Trump’s actions surrounding the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
- James Comer Defended Trump’s Role in Jan. 6 and Backed His False Claims of Voter Fraud, Voting Against the Bipartisan Proposal to Establish an Independent Commission to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. After the 2020 election, Rep. Comer backed Trump’s false claims of voter fraud and excused Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric that incited the Jan. 6 insurrection, claiming that Trump was speaking “figuratively.” Comer later voted against an independent commission to investigate the violence at the Capitol. [Letter to Rep. Nadler and Rep. Maloney, 11/18/20; WLKY News Louisville, 1/14/21; U.S. House of Representatives, HR 3233, 5/19/21]
- James Comer Defended Trump’s Attempts to Shut Down An Investigation Into Michael Flynn. After Trump tried to shut down former FBI Director James Comey’s investigation into Michael Flynn, Rep. Comer claimed that Trump, “may have been joking” and refused to investigate the move. [Louisville Courier-Journal, 5/18/17; The Times Tribune, 5/18/17]
- Rep. Comer Believes the Deep State is “Alive and Real” in Targeting Trump and Said He Didn’t Trust the U.S. Intelligence Community. Comer has expressed belief in the conspiracy of a “deep state” which was targeting Trump and said he did not trust the U.S. intelligence community. “Speaking to Newsmax in light of the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Rep. James Comer declared that not only is the ’deep state’ real, but it was targeting Trump long before that. Appearing Tuesday on ‘the Chris Salcedo Show,’ the Kentucky Republican said: ‘It doesn’t matter what … the pundits say, what the political correct [sic] crowd in Washington says, what the swamp says, or what leadership says, we’re fed up with this deep state. [Former Rep.] Devin Nunes was right all along. The deep state is alive and real, and it’s going to be left up to Republicans, hopefully in a majority, starting in January to try to end this and get us back on the path to where we have confidence in our intelligence communities.” [Newsmax, 8/30/22]
Comer also said he would welcome ultra-MAGA Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert onto the Oversight Committee.
- James Comer is Likely to Allow Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Other Firebrand Pro-Trump Members to Serve on His Committee. Comer is viewed as likely to allow conspiracy theorists Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Lauren Boebert to sit on his committee. Before the election, Comer told the New York Times: “If Americans entrust Republicans with the majority next Congress, we look forward to the Steering Committee adding new G.O.P. members to the committee like Rep. Greene with energy and a strong interest in partnering with us in our efforts to rein in the unaccountable Swamp and to hold the Biden Administration accountable for its many self-inflicted crises that it has unleashed on the American people.” Comer reportedly confirmed earlier reports that GOP extremists Lauren Boebert (R, CO-3) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, GA-14) have “expressed interest in joining the panel.” As other reports noted, “half of the panel’s current Republicans are part of the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus, where many members have their own incendiary reputations.” [The New York Times, 10/17/22, Politico, 8/11/22]
Comer is a Trump-loving, MAGA Republican through and through. His goal for leading the Oversight Committee is to weaken President Biden and Democrats at any cost. Rather than use their investigative power on real issues facing Americans, Comer and his fellow MAGA Republican extremists plan on conducting sham investigations and partisan witch hunts. The American people cannot trust Comer or these investigations. It is clear he is beholden to Donald Trump.